Kia Cerato Koup first drive review

Meet the carKia is describing as a game-changer for the brand in Australia.

The second-generation Cerato Koupis due in showrooms next month and marks the introduction of Kia’s first ever turbocharged petrol engine locally. For the ambitious South Korean brand, that means an opening into the highly competitive entry-level performance market.

At the heart of Kia’s aspirations is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which is available on a flagship Turbo variant, producing 150kW of power and 265Nm of torque. It's the same engine seen in sister brand Hyundai's Veloster SR Turbo.

Accelerating hard out of a rain-soaked corner in Victoria’s Yarra Valley region, the Turbo model responds in a manner befitting of its sporty pretensions.

With a neatly-calibrated traction control system working unobtrusively behind the scenes, the Cerato Koup cleanly puts power to the ground via its 18-inch Nexen tyres, accelerating briskly to 100km/h in 7.4 seconds (7.7 seconds in the manual).

Kia Koup video review

The turbocharged engine’s obvious benefits come to fruition at the higher end of the rev range. Peak power is met at 6000rpm, while torque hits its straps between 1750 and 4500 rpm. The accompanying aural experience reaches a crescendo between 4000 and 5000rpm, emitting a tasteful burble from the Cerato Koup’s twin exhaust tips.

Power is sent exclusively to the front wheels via a six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission. Driver involvement for the auto version is accentuated by a pair of paddle shifters, complementing a thoughtful mix of gear ratios and reasonably quick changes. The equivalent manual cog-swapper is equally slick, with a sporty throw and lightly-weighted clutch pedal action.

When it comes to corners, the Koup purports to be more of a grand tourer than a boy racer (Kia is pointing the latter demographic to the upcoming Pro’ceed GT). A local tuning program helps the Koup retain poise through mid-corner bumps commonly found on Australian roads, its front end keeping well-tracked and not springing any unruly surprises.

There are three steering settings to play with - comfort, normal and sport - and while the steering is responsive and predictable, it feels dull around the centre position and isn’t as communicative as sportier rivals.

Riding on 18-inch wheels, the Turbo model can be fidgety over smaller obstacles and corrugations. Bigger undulations in the road do become more noticeable inside the cabin, though not unsettling.

All in all, the Turbo Koup package works well as a jack of all trades; compliant enough for daily driving but competent during enthusiastic bursts. And it does so with a respectable fuel return of 7.7L/100km (8.0L/100km in the auto) on standard unleaded fuel.

We also spent a couple of hours behind the wheel of the SLi base model Cerato Koup.

Despite receiving 15 per cent less power than the Turbo version, the entry model’s direct-injection 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol makes swift progress. The 129kW/209Nm engine fitted in the base unit (and also seen in theCerato hatch and Cerato sedan) doesn’t mind revving either, spinning freely until redline, and returning a claim fuel reading of 7.3L/100km (7.4L/100km automatic).

The SLi’s smaller 17-inch wheels bring a marked increase in ride comfort without compromising performance. It also gets 20mm smaller (280mm) brake rotors than the Turbo version and misses out on the twin exhaust tips, push-button start, LED lights, auto-dimming mirror and blingy cosmetic touches.

The Cerato Koup’s biggest trump card is that it caters to a large spread of demands. The two-door design isn’t without its compromises in space, though the 60:40 split-fold seats, 433-litre boot, surprisingly roomy rear seat and full-size alloy spare retain a strong element of functionality.

The Cerato Koup is well pieced together as well, with extensive use of quality interior materials and sound deadening which keeps tyre roar to appropriate levels.

Both Cerato Koup models suffer from a thick A-pillar design which can impinge on frontal vision, but it is an otherwise an easy package to navigate through car parks and tight spaces.

Electronic stability control, hill-start assist, front and rear sensors, reversing camera and six airbags are standard on the Cerato Koup range, but customers after sat-nav, leather trim seats, 7.0-inch touchscreen and dual-zone climate control will need to opt for an optional $2200 Touring pack.